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Sunday, July 4, 2010

Because my story is a bit inspired by the style of Desperate Housewives, I suppose I'll be referring to each storyline segment as Seasons. I was always hoping each post would turn out a bit like an episode of a TV Drama. ;)

As the first one has ended, I'd like to tie up some loose ends before continuing on with the story -- I figured now was as good a time as any.

#1. Unexplained Events

I never figured out how to work these in logically, so here's some plot element explanations to help clear up some mysteries. If you can think of any more, feel free to ask -- I will answer if they're things that won't be resolved in the future. :)

Firstly, the burglaries: There were 3, in total. The second, as Chandra explained, was done to steal Travis and Bradley's baby pictures. Creepy, but... I had no other way to explain why a burglar would take those. ^^ The first and third, however, were never explained. To elaborate: The first was contrived by Mimi. She had the laptop stolen in order to try to find extra information about the Company, and possibly Tana, but all she really got out of it was Jeb's hacking software. As for the third: Dallas sent in one of the few remaining henchmen (most everyone else bolted and left town once they heard what happened) to try and recover anything Jeb might have had that would lead back to him. At that time, he didn't yet know that Mimi was actually a mole, and that the cops already had enough on him to lock him behind bars for good.

Secondly, what the heck was up with Cody and Tameka, Jeb's two love flings? Well, first, Cody: she's a con-artist, fair and square. Her husband was the Town Casanova, yes, but her relationship with him is convenient and understanding. Her only motive, outside having possible blackmail material in the future, was... for the heck of it. She did it for fun. She's just the type of girl that always gets what she wants... Like getting out of jail time by helping Mimi in the end. Tameka? She's just... nutty. Thus, why Chandra was able to forgive her for smooching on Jeb -- well, in return for not showing up to the heist. Tameka has likely already forgotten about everything already. Jebidiah who?

#2. Page Updates / New Pages

As Season One is finished, I've gone ahead and updated some of the pages that needed some. I'll continue to update them as things change throughout the next Season. And stuff.

Family Tree Page: I went back and fixed some errors, updated some pictures, and added in everyone's Traits on the 'Bio' Tab and any birth-dates I actually have on record. Also remember, if someone has a tiny little line above their head -- like on Meredith's -- if you click their portrait, more extended family shows up. Family Echo? Best. Family Tree Site. Ever.

I also made it so the Family Tree link on the top-bar does not take you to a Blogger Page, first. Just saves the hassle of having to scroll down to the clicky-touchy link... However, I suggest right-clicking the link and opening in a new window, because good luck hitting 'back' to get back if you touch any of the pictures. ;)

As well, I've whipped up something incredibly nerdy. In case you ever read my 'About' page, you'd have seen me mention that I have a rather weird way of picking traits for each new family member. Well, after drinking far too much coffee one night, the end result was a fully typed up trait chart. You can find the link at the top bar on the page. Also, below.

Some of my favorite screenshots from the story. Do I love my Sims? Oh yes I do.

I also have a new banner made up, but I need to wait until the first few posts of Season Two are up before I change it, since it contains spoilers from those episodes. Goshdarnnabbit.

#4. The Kane Family

In case you're masochistic enough to want this crazy family in your neighborhood, I've decided that it was time to put the Kanes up on the exchange for download. It changes a bit over the course of Season 2, but there will be newer download posted then when it's all done. (Yes, I already finished Season 2 in game. I am *so* behind!)

There are two versions: One has CC (only a few items: Meredith's hair, one dress, some patterns) and Store items, while the second is free of both CC and Store items (minus a few patterns, I couldn't be bothered to change them).

I.. haven't finished it yet. Comes from being busy until 2am, and getting sidetracked by other projects, which is why all my posts have been so late. :) However, once I am finished, this is where it will be posted -- I'll make a note and a link back once I am done.

I think, for now, that's all. I wanted to squish this all in at once, so I didn't have a bunch of random posts here and there -- hopefully this didn't turn out too long.

I wouldn't say it pales. ;) I've just only ever played one family, since day one, so I get rather attached to them. It's probably a bit much that I'm keeping track of all traits and birthdays, but my family tree looks hilariously tiny compared to, say... Twallan's. Have you ever seen that monster? It's insane.

I wish my spreadsheet skills were better, but at this rate, it'd just mean I'd waste more time perfecting it. ;) I have no idea if anyone would find it useful, but I wanted the chart set up for myself, so may as well share.

I've been itching to start what's happened since I got Ambitions for what seems like forever... I'm so glad I'm finally at that point!

I haven't looked at Twallan's family tree. Now, I'm a little sceered to...

If you're itching to start your Season 2, Twinbrook Terror (Trip?, Tale?, Tear-jerker?) season then I have a solution. How much time does it take you to set-up, write and do your picture mojo for one blog update?

You really should check it out. It's impressive. Scary, probably, but... ^^ Here's a link to the post, the PDF with the tree is attached to it: http://ts3.tscexchange.com/index.php?topic=3010.0

I do like the Family Echo site, though. It makes it really easy to set up a tree. :)

Hahahaha! It actually doesn't take me long to write an update. All my screenshots are already uploaded, so I just have to choose which to use, organize them, pick some good music, and start writing. If I get the mojo, I may actually write up two tomorrow. We shall see!

How do you come up with your story ideas? Did you do this for other generations of Kane's? Do you already have a story outlined for Travis or will you wait and see what happens to give you that sparkage?

For starters, this is the first generation I really decided to try to write a story for. Some interesting things did happen in previous generations -- like, Jeb's grandmother was an adventurer who had a romantic fling with an Egyptian that didn't end well, and his great Aunt was a romance novel writer who's husband drowned right after their son (Simon) was born, but she kept his ashes in her bedroom in hopes his ghost would appear to her every night. But, I didn't want to start from the beginning... I already am way too far ahead, gameplaywise.

The story seems to sort of come up with itself, but this one in particular originated when I decided I wanted Farah to have an evil son. It was the first Evil sim I'd ever had under my control, and it raised a lot of 'what if' questions. What if there was a big criminal plot? What if someone died? What if he got caught? Originally, I had this giant evil plot worked out, where Jeb was going to force Meredith to marry him, keep prisoners in his basement... But once he became a teen and Meredith fell for him, everything changed. I still wanted something bad to happen, but I wasn't sure what. I decided to do a gem theft, and things just sort of fell into place -- the way I write isn't exactly "coming up" with a story, but see what happens, and then come up for an explanation for why. As more dumb things happen (like Jebidiah jumping his coworkers randomly), I had to come up with increasingly more complex reasons why it happened.

I don't have very far into the future mapped out. I do write down 5 traits to use for a Sim once their conceived, and get a rough idea what job they'll have in the future.. But everything else completely depends on who they meet, what happens when they meet, what Twallan's SP throws my way, and perhaps a smidgen of inspiration. :)

I find if I map things out too far in advance, it all falls through, anyways. For example, currently, Travis has about 60 more days as a teenager. I would go bonkers if I was focused on what he was going to do as an adult! Instead, I try to think day-by-day. What's going to happen tomorrow? Who should I invite to visit? Why? Etc, etc. It really helps to take it one day at a time, and focus on what friends they make, what enemies they make, and how that effects their lives. I think I would go crazy, otherwise. :D

However, because I have sooo much played out in advance, it makes it easier to see a story in the screenshots instead of starting at point A, and trying to get to point B with a story.

I'm rambling. Late night rambles with Chrysame. Sounds like a bad talk show on a local channel.

The family steered you into a story, other event steer a little more so you have to adjust certain plot lines, mysteries, guest characters. It all makes sense. And there's the possibility of posts tomorrow. Hmmm, I should celebrate that with a skinny vanilla latte.

Writing is wonderful! Especially since I'm not a very verbal person, face to face. Too shy, oddly enough. But for some reason, once I get going in text, I just can't shut up. Oh well! Should definitely never give up something you enjoy. I did with music, and I've regretted it ever since.

You think you're rambling? Ha! :D And, don't worry. You'd have me as a viewer of your talk show! And, I'm jealous of the latte. ;) May have to make myself up some tea...

To be completely honest, I'm surprised all of this (the story, that is) came together as well as it did. I may have to add "luck" as a factor, too. ;) I do try to have a goal in mind, an "end result" if you will, but everything that happens in-between is fodder for random chance... and it tends to have an effect on what I'd planned, as well. That's one thing that's so great about the game!

okay so i need your help. i also use family echo for my legacy family tree and i can't figure out how to make it work like yours... i ended up just taking a screen shot of the family tree and made a blogger page with the picture on it. any suggestions?

This is great. The family tree looks so much like a real one. I did genealogy research for years and recorded all information in a family tree program and on paper. I never have stayed with a sim family long enough to make one for sims.

Of course I read the cast list page too. It's going to help a lot.

I'm always excited to see the next episode appear. I only missed this update last night because I discovered this morning that it went into my spam folder. I hate when yahoo does that. It even throws my stuff into my spam folder sometimes.

I'm not a writer but I do love to read and this reads like a book.

I did go and fav and rec your uploaded Kane family. You are doing a great job here and I'll continue to be back for more.

@Marty: I'll do my best to help you out! Can you explain what problems you're having? It took me a while to figure it out too, so no worries, there. :)

@Dee: Thanks so much, Dee! Yer makin' me blush. ^^

I guess you and I are opposites, like that. I can't for the life of me start a new game (I tried, I failed). Well, at least, a new game in terms of new Sims.

I never did like Yahoo. Gmail seems to work pretty well, but it's not perfect, either.. And it hides your Spam folder from you, so you can't even see when there's something you've missed. You have to go manually check, which is annoying.

Thank you for the fave's and rec's. :) In hindsight, I should've taken some of their money away before uploading... But they earned all of it, so I guess that would be mean.

Some of my games have been abandoned because of glitches and some because I just got tired of them. I'll never forget the one I stopped playing because all the males were aging to adult with female hair and I was finding dopplegangers. It was funny but not very easy to continue with.

I'm really trying to stick with the one I have going now. I'm still having fun with it and as long as it doesn't get screwed up with glitches, I think I will be able to. *knocks on wood*

@Dee: That makes sense, but really stinks! :( About the glitches, that is. I must be lucky, since the most issues I've had was Crashing and Error 12s.. Both of which I was able to fix, luckily.

@Chrysame: You're welcome! I know not everyone wants CC in their game. I'd like to get to that point myself, but there are some things that are hard to give up. (Like Mere's hairstyle, keeping that one until she's gone.)

Wow! You are one organized super sim woman! Hahaha. I'm totally and utterly in love with the sims. My poor partner, and often other things in RL, get neglected because I'm too busy playing. And it has gotten worse since I started blogging! lol

Those burglaries were interesting. So they actually took those pictures in game, that's hilarious! You certainly made good use of them! ;)

I actually had a look at the family tree when I first started reading and I thought it was wonderful. I think it's beneficial to have one of these if you are doing a story like your's even though it's not a legacy. :)I look forward to doing one of those for Will & Eliza (The Drifter) when they start a family.

I also love the trait chart you did. It makes it easier to see which one's conflict and which one's will/might mesh well together. lol

Nice wallpaper too. I never have a standard picture up anymore it's always of a sim landscape or one of my sims doing something. It helps to have an awesome graphics card too. My old computer was terrible. But then mine is probably out-of-date already, knowing the way technology changes so quickly.

Just so you know, each post was definitely like a TV drama. I loved watching DH on TV but my interest soon tapered off as I don't like to be restricted to a tight schedule. lol

Really looking forward to season 2 and what you, or the game, has install for the Kane's.You should be proud, your blog is awesome. :)

I wouldn't call myself organized, really. ;) I'm just a bit OCD, so I tend to go overboard with enthusiasm when I get excited about doing something. I would definitely call this a healthy addiction, though. I've always loved to write!

Yep, all those burglaries were game-spawned, I just tried to make sense of what they stole... I'm pretty sure the reason they stole those baby pictures was because they were worth a fair bit, but story-wise, it wasn't really logical... Thus, crazy Chandra. ;D I had to explain it somehow!

I'm glad you like all the little bits I've thrown up. :) They probably aren't super helpful, but I get inspired to create random stuff every now and then.

I totally hear ya, on the Desperate Housewives thing. I've started watching mine online, these days, or buying the DVD sets. We actually don't even have any TV stations, right now. We'd never use them, so why bother?

Thank you so, so much for your compliments. <3 I put a lot of time into trying to make it as good as I can, so it means a lot to me. I don't have a lot of readers, but I value each and every one of them.

Hope you enjoy Season 2 and can get caught up before I finish Season 3! :D

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Summary:Trouble's on the rise when a rather strange family of gypsies touches down in Twinbrook, but with everything else going on in Margo's hectic life, she doesn't have time to notice... or does she? The battle for hearts begins as both Margo and Lilobot find themselves torn between the devil they know and the devil they don't--leading to choices that may very well define the rest of their lives.

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About This Blog

This Blog is a fictional story written using the Sims 3 (tm Electronic Arts); it is written by the:

--- Desperate Sims ---

This is a dramatic story series following the lives of the Kanes, a family within the Sims 3, for whom things never seem to go quite right.It is a work of fiction that contains some mature themes that some readers may find offensive; discretionary caution is advised. Thanks!